


Aftermath

by LyricalLyrium



Series: Redeeming Cullen [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 17:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12137577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyricalLyrium/pseuds/LyricalLyrium
Summary: Amell had her Harrowing, accidentally aided a blood mage, and left to join the Wardens a week ago, and she's still the only thing on everyone's minds. A talk between Knight-Commander and Recruit may be in order...





	Aftermath

It had already been a week, and Solona’s dramatic departure from the tower was still the only thing anyone could talk about. 

Cullen overhead other Templars blaming her and Irving for letting a blood mage free. He overheard mages who weren't that surprised Jowan had done something so reprehensible out of fear. Mostly, though, everyone talked about Solona becoming a Grey Warden, and how that meant she was never coming back. The opinions were divided on why she wasn't coming back - a disgusting amount of the Tower thought she wouldn't survive the upcoming battle at Ostagar. Cullen knew better. If she didn't come back, it would be because she chose not to, and he knew she'd never do that. 

“Hello, Cullen,” chirped an apprentice with short blonde hair. He could never remember her name. 

“Hello,” he replied. Everyone - Templar and mage alike - had been speaking to him a lot more since Solona left. He had no idea why. It wasn't like they'd been close, though she had been friendly with him. Very friendly, if their last discussion had meant anything. Mages often acted out of character after Harrowings, forgetting names and relationships, and occasionally even why they weren't allowed to leave the tower, but if that was how she really felt about him… If that was her unfiltered feeling for him... Cullen blinked, and realized the apprentice had been speaking the whole time he was thinking about Solona. 

“...but Camilla said that she's never coming back!” The blonde finished. “Do you think she'd really never visit?”

“Of course not,” Cullen replied. “She'll come back.”

“That's what I thought!” She said, eyes lit up in excitement. Cullen recognized her now - it was the apprentice who’d grilled him about Solona’s Harrowing, when he'd carried her back to her bed. “You sound so sure.”

“I am. If she wasn't coming back, she would have said her goodbyes, or at least said something. At least to Irving,” he said, and the apprentice nodded and thanked him. She ran off to relate the conversation to a friend, who side eyed him. He ignored it. 

“Knight-Commander wants to see you,” came a voice next to him. Cullen frowned, and the Templar just shrugged. "Dunno. Probably something about Amell."

The walk up to the office felt like ages. The last time he was called up to speak with Greagoir it was to be told he would be the one to strike the killing blow, should Solona fail her Harrowing. Just like then, he had no idea what this could possibly be about. He took a breath before opening the door.

“Do you know”, Greagoir greeted him, “I could go my whole life without hearing the words ‘Solona Amell’ ever again?”

Cullen couldn't help but grin. He knew Solona’s position as Irving’s favorite had automatically put her at odds with Greagoir; his commander must be practically pulling his hair out, trying to keep order with the way she left. “The talk will die down,” Cullen said. “It always does, when it's about her.”

“It will. It will take ages, but it will.” Greagoir scoffed. “Wanting to be a Grey Warden. Fool woman would have been First Enchanter, given time.” Greagoir sighed. “Though perhaps it is better that she left before Irving started to train her in earnest. Maker help me, if I had to deal with the two of them at once.”

“I don't think she wanted to be First Enchanter,” Cullen said, trying to imagine Solona and Greagoir interacting at all and coming up short. She was respectful of authority, but she was also constantly doing things to give the Knight-Commander a headache. It would be... quite the dynamic. “She’ll do well with the Wardens, I think.”

Greagoir shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Keep this between us, but I agree.” He was silent for a moment. “That's not why I called you here. Have you heard the rumors about you and Amell?”

“R-rumors?” Cullen asked. He could already feel his face heating up. 

“After her Harrowing, some are saying the two of you -”

“That's not true!” Cullen protested, wishing he could die rather than have this conversation. “She…” he could feel his face flushing. “She wasn't herself, and she did… make an advance. But I would never - she's a mage, and she wasn't in her right mind, and it's forbidden - it would have been taking advantage -”

Greagoir held his hand up and Cullen lapsed into silence, absolutely miserable and blushing madly. 

“I trust you, Cullen. And, despite everything I know about that girl, I trust her. Just…” Greagoir sighed. “Be aware. Try not to feed into the rumors. If she does survive Ostagar, I have a feeling she will return to recruit more Wardens.”

Cullen remained silent. He'd wanted to be a Templar all his life, but maybe they had a need for Templars? The thought the there was even a possibility the something could happen between he and Solona... He'd always known nothing would ever come about from his feelings for Solona. Even if she had reciprocated, he was a Templar. He had authority over her. It would be too inappropriate for him to even consider. But now, as a Grey Warden... 

Noticing the look on Cullen’s face, Greagoir added, “Both Irving and I are agreed that she was the only one in the tower who could be a Warden. If I'd had my way, even she wouldn't have been taken. Clever, of Irving, to have her meet Duncan and not inform me of his plan. After I confronted him about it, he was almost contrite."

Cullen remained silent, wondering just what Grey Wardens did when there were no more Darkspwan. Would she be a free mage? To Greagoir, he simply said, “She may decide not to return after Ostagar.”

“I can only hope. It is about time we had some peace and quiet in this tower.” Greagoir sighed heavily. “Cullen. The point of this conversation is this: when it comes down to it, you are a Templar above all else. Remember that.”

Cullen nodded. “Yes, Knight-Commander.”

Greagoir studied him closely for a moment, then waved his hand. “Dismissed.”


End file.
